Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-06-02
OVER THE BORDER.

OVER THE BORDER.
Agricultural Portion, Looking with
8 Longing Toward Annexation as q Pana-
ces for Ills Present and Prospective
The Door AJar. IS
NEW YORK, May 25.-The World this
mornin publishes an article covering
two columns and quarter containing the
views of prominent Canadians on the
question of the annexation OF Canada.
After a review Of the history Of the coun-
try and brief sketch of the composition
of the population OF Canada, the CORE.
spondent says that many men with
whom he talked admitted private
ly that commercial union meant
ultimate annexation, but shrunk
from being quoted on the subject. The
farmers, who form a big space Of the
voting population, are most outspoken,
and are, so far as the correspondent
could learn, almost unanimous In de-
handing commercial union, and good
many of them are not afraid to look the
probable consequence in the face.
In conversation had with open annexa-
tionists and others who are alleged to be
annexationists in disguise, the existing
reasons from Canadian standpoint Tor,
at least, a closer union with the United
States, were forcibly and exhaustlvely
set forth. They are summed up briefly
as arising from the fact that Canada is in
a state of stagnation. The policy
that the government attempted to carry
out has proved q failure, and the
country is heavily burdened with debt.
Its geographical location makes free COM
munication and alliance with the United
States the most natural thing in the world
Large bodies of the people in some OF the
provinces have been crying for years for
annexation, and the cry is being extend
ed as the foolishness of being shut out
from prosperity by an arbitrary and
imaginary line becomes more generally
understood.
The article next reviews the design in
the confederation of the provinces in 1867,
and sets forth that it was for the purpose
of forcing trade from one to the other,
and with this end in view $3.50, 900, 900 were
spent in erecting the Inter-Colonial and
Canadian Pacific roads. In 1879, tariff
was put on for a similar purpose, but this
came to naught. One Of the causes is
that the Dominion being in one zone, does
not possess the various climates and
productions of the United States, and it
Is simply case Of swapping jack-knives.
A tax put on the iron of Nova Scotia i'm
mediately strikes the consumer in On
tario, where there is iron, but no coal, and
the consumer in the Northwest, where
there is neither coal nor iron. The
provinces have to be continually bribed
with subsidies to behave themselves. The
provinces draw so much per head from
the Dominion treasury, and the result is
that knowing they have the vaults in
Ottawa to fall back on, they launch out
in all sorts of extravaganza, and when
they become in debt demand larger sub
sides.
This has helped to pile up the debt, and
the national debt together with those OF
the provinces now amounts to 5000, OO0,O COO
for population of 1900, 900. The great
Province of Ontario was nothing, and her
constant complaint that she is the cow
from which all the others are sucking,
and her discomfort because Of this, Is the
reason for the feeling which is gaining
ground that annexation might not be a
bad thing
The farmers are generally dissatisfied
because the railroad rates will not per-
init the carrying Of their products to any
point where it will pay them. They say
the obiiterationof the dividing line would
enable them to ship their barley, which
is now shipped to the United States,
without having to pay duty. The lum.
bermen complain that the present tariff
closes the United States market to them.
These are among the principal reasons
for the desire for annexation.
In Nova Scotia the dissatisfaction is
very pronounced. She has to buy her
wheat from Ontario at much higher
rates than it could be had from the Unit
ed States, but for the heavy tariff. Novs
Scotia, Prince Edwards Island and New
Brunswick have no market for theil
goods, and for long time past the ques
ton of annexation has been agitated by
them. They believe that the Nationa
drift of the trade is between them ant
the United States.
To sum up the whole situation, th'
World correspondent says that there is al
Intense feeling of discomfort Throughout
the Dominion, and that its door is ajar TO
the peaceful invasion of Canada; that tn
probabilities are that 1t will not be lont
before it is thrown wide open.
The article concludes with review o
the history Of the Canadian Pacific raj
way and the purposes for which it wa
built The failure of the government
induce emigration to the Northwest, an
the reasons therefor, among which are
The climate, lack of railroad competition
and the high rates for bringing wheat
the sea-board from that Territory as CON
pared with those of the United States.